A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 104

Author: Coolidge, Orville W
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1314

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When a youth of seventeen years John Martindale arrived in this county and upon

him largely devolved the arduous task of developing a new farm. He assumed the indebtedness which was upon the place and purchased the interest of the other heirs in the home property, which he at once began to further develop and improve. When a young man of twenty-four years he was married to Miss Laura Jane Jakeway, a daughter of Solomon Jakeway, of New York, and one of the early settlers of Benton township, whose old farm laid south of Mill- burg, the family home being established there in 1847, when Mrs. Martindale was a small child. Following his marriage John Martindale began to clear and culti- vate a forty acre tract of land which was situated in the midst of the forest and ad- joined his father's place. He had twelve acres of this cleared when his father died and he took the old homestead, his mother living with him as long as she lived. He has since placed his entire eighty acres under cultivation and has a well developed prop- erty, which is neat and thrifty in appear- ance and indicates his careful supervision. His groves contain about three thousand peach trees and he has four acres planted to grapes, pears, cherries and plums, making in all about twenty-five acres in fruit. This work has given entire satisfaction, because he has harvested good crops, for which he has found a ready sale on the market. The place is watered by a spring and is well adapted for dairying purposes. For twelve years Mr. Martindale kept forty cows for dairy purposes but this confined him so closely to his business that he abandoned it, and turned his attention to the cultivation of fruit. The increase in the price of feed also led him to retire from dairying, for he found that he could make no money thereby. He has erected his present home, thus re- placing one that was burned. His house stands on the brow of a thirty-three foot bluff, overlooking a fine bottom pasturage of over thirty acres, and the house is con- veniently situated about three and a quarter miles from Benton Harbor.

After a happy married life of twenty- eight years Mr. Martindale was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died leav-

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WILLIAM FREESTONE

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

ing three children: Jesse Eugene, now a farmer of Michigan; Alma, who is the wife of Willard Ware, of Berrien county; and Claude, a mechanic, living in St. Joseph. For his second wife Mr. Martindale chose Ida Anderson, who had first married John Peterson and who was killed in the Well's basket factory at St. Joseph. She came to this county in 1871 and on the 6th of March, 1882, gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Martindale. They have one daughter, Laura, who is now the wife of John Benson and her husband operates her father's farm. There is one child by this marriage, Edith May, now two years of age. Mrs. Martin- dale had two sons by her first marriage, Al- bert and Benny Peterson, both in Benton Harbor. They were reared by Mr. Martin- dale as his own children and the two families have lived together in the utmost harmony. Mr. Martindale is a Republican, but though he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day he has never sought office, preferring to concentrate his time and ener- gies upon his business affairs.

WILLIAM FREESTONE, president and general manager of the Freestone Pickle Company at Benton Harbor, is a self-made man who, without any extraordinary family or pecuniary advantages at the commence- ment of life has battled earnestly and ener- getically and by indomitable courage and integrity has achieved both character and fortune. By sheer force of will and untir- ing effort he has worked his way upward and is numbered among the leading men of southwestern Michigan.

A native of Rochester, New York, he was born in the year 1840, and in his in- fancy was taken by his parents, Thomas and Grace Freestone, to Chicago, now the metropolis of the west, then a small city which only three years before had been in- corporated. His father was a native of Northamptonshire, England, and following his marriage emigrated with his wife to the new world, settling in Rochester, New York, where he continued to reside until his removal west. William Freestone passed his boyhood days amid the environments

which have developed a great city on the western prairie and he became imbued with much of the spirit of enterprise and progress that have led to the upbuilding of Chicago. He attended the public schools and then learned the plasterer's trade. He mastered and followed the business until the outbreak of the Civil war, when, his patriotic nature being aroused in response to the country's call for aid, he enlisted as a private of Com- pany G, Thirty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He served for three years and was under the command of General John C. Black, participating in some notable en- gagements, including the battles of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove and the siege of Vicksburg. Every military duty imposed upon him was faithfully performed and his loyalty to the cause was above question.

Following the close of hostilities Mr. Freestone returned to Chicago, where he engaged upon a new field of business activ- ity by becoming an employe of the Squire Dingee Company, pickle manufacturers, with whom he continued until 1885, during which time he gained a close and intimate knowledge of the business both in principle and detail. When the business was incor- porated in 1885 he became financially inter- ested therein, and has since been identified with similar enterprises. In 1893 he became a resident of Benton Harbor as resident partner and manager of the plant of the Squire Dingee Company at this place. The plant had been established in 1891, and Mr. Freestone was connected therewith until the Freestone Pickle Company was established and incorporated in 1903 with William Freestone as president and general man- ager; Wilbert D. Freestone, vice-president and treasurer; and G. W. Larkworthy, sec- retary. This company was organized under the laws of Michigan with a paid up capital of fifty thousand dollars and, having pur- chased the business of the Squire Dingee Company, is now engaged extensively in the manufacture of vinegar and as growers and packers of pickles. In Benton Harbor they have an extensive plant, comprising five buildings, covering three acres of ground, and their output is over seventy-five thou-

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

sand bushels of pickles annually. An ex- tensive force of workmen are employed dur- ing the season and about seventeen people throughout the remainder of the year, ren- dering the enterprise one of particular value to the community by affording employment to a large number and thus placing in cir- culation a large aggregate wage. Branch houses have also been established at Bangor, Sawyer, Pullman, Baroda, Bridgman and Pearl, and all are being operated extensively and successfully. The output is sent through- out the United States and Canada, and the industry is one of material benefit to Benton Harbor and Berrien county.

William Freestone has been married twice. He first wedded Miss. Adelaide Dingee, who died in Chicago in 1883. Of the three children of that union two are living : Wilbert D., who is associated with his father in business and is represented elsewhere in this work; and Adelaide, now. the wife of Leonard H. Smith, of Benton Harbor, by whom she has four children, Adelaide, Percy, Ethel and Wilbert, all born in this city. In 1885 William Freestone was again married, his second union being with Miss Matilda Anderson, of Chicago, and to them have been born five children, who are yet living, Florence, Wallace, Walter, Carl and Theodore.

William Freestone is a member of George H. Thomas Post, G. A. R., of Ben- ton Harbor, and is affiliated with all of the Masonic bodies of this city. In his political views he is a Republican, and as every broad minded citizen should do, keeps in touch with the political problems and issues of the day but is without aspiration for office. He is broad gauged and liberal in all of his views and has been a man of action rather than theory. He has worked and demon- strated rather than argued and debated and his labors with their attendant results have demonstrated the possibilities for success- ful accomplishment without the assistance of capital as a moving force at the outset of ones career. As the years have gone by he has won prosperity, owing to his earnest and unremitting diligence, and today he is

in possession of a comfortable income re- sulting from well invested capital.

WILBERT D. FREESTONE. In the business world today, with its constantly changing conditions and rapid development, opportunity is continually presented to him who has the ability to recognize his chance and improve it. Among the more recently developed enterprises of Berrien county is that of the Freestone Pickle Company, at Benton Harbor, of which Wilbert D. Free- stone is vice president and treasurer. He is thus prominently connected with one of the leading industrial enterprises of southwest- ern Michigan and his labors have contributed in no small degree to the success of the undertaking. He has wrought along modern business lines and has employed the "merit system" in relation to business affairs, the company winning its extensive and grow- ing patronage because of the excellence of its product and its unassailable reputation for reliability in all trade transactions.

Mr. Freestone is a native of Chicago, Illinois, where he was born in November, 1868. He is of English lineage, his pa- ternal grandparents, Thomas and Grace Freestone, of Northamptonshire, England, having become the founders of this family in America on their removal to Rochester, New York. Their son, William Freestone, born in that city in June, 1840, was in his infancy, taken by his parents to Chi- cago and after acquiring a public school education and learning and following the plasterer's trade for some time he served for three years in the Civil war, returning to his home to become connected with a line of business in which he is still interested and in which he has gained a large and gratifying success. He entered the employ of the Squire Dingee Pickle Company, be- coming a stockholder therein in 1885. and the resident partner and manager of the business in Benton Harbor in 1893. Ten years later the business was purchased by the present company.

William Freestone was married to Ade- laide Dingee, and Wilbert D. Freestone is

WILBERT D. FREESTONE

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

the elder of their two living children. At the usual age he became a student in the public schools of Chicago and when still quite a young lad he entered the employ of the Squire Dingee Company, manufacturers of vinegar and pickles, with headquarters in Chicago, but with plants in different parts of the middle west. This company had been organized in Chicago in 1858, and in 1891 established a branch house in Benton Harbor. On entering the employ of the company Wilbert D. Freestone was assigned to duty in the pickle factory at Woodstock, Illinois, where he thoroughly acquainted himself with the business in every depart- ment. In 1891 he became one of the repre- sentatives of the company in Benton Har- bor, the plant having been established here in 1891. The business was incorporated and thus conducted until 1903, when it was sold to the Freestone Pickle Company, which in that year was established and incorpo- rated, with William Freestone as president and general manager ; Wilbert D. Freestone, vice president and treasurer; and G. W. Larkworthy, secretary. This company was organized under the laws of Michigan with a paid up capital of fifty thousand dollars. They purchased the business of the Squire Dingee Company and are now engaged ex- tensively in the manufacture of vinegar and also growers and packers of pickles. In Benton Harbor they have an extensive plant, comprising five buildings, covering three acres of ground, with well known appliances for carrying on a factory of this kind. The output is over seventy-five thousand bushels of pickles annually and they employ an ex- tensive force during the season and about seventeen people throughout the remainder of the year. Not only does the company manufacture vinegar and pickles but also grows cucumbers on an extensive scale and buys large quantities in advance of the sea- son. In addition to the plant at Benton Harbor there are branch plants at Bangor, Sawyer, Pullman, Baroda, Bridgman and Pearl, and the first mentioned is nearly as large as the Benton Harbor plant, while all the others are but little smaller. They send their product throughout the United States

and Canada and the business has become one of the leading productive enterprises of Ber- rien county. It has now assumed extensive proportions and is not only a source of profit to the individual stockholders but also contributes to the general prosperity throughi the employment given to many and through furnishing a market to producers.

In 1893 Wilbert D. Freestone was mar- ried in Elgin, Illinois, to Miss Stella Gup- till, and unto them have been born three children, Ruth, Harold and Virgene, all born in Benton Harbor. Mr. Freestone is a member of Lake Shore Lodge, A. F. & A. M., the Knights of Pythias and the Macca- bees, all of Benton Harbor, and in his political views is a stalwart Republican. Recognized as one of the leading business men of southwestern Michigan he is alert an enterprising, his capability enabling him to successfully solve intricate business prob- lems and to promote to successful comple- ton whatever he undertakes.

GEORGE GRIFFIN. Many modern improvements are found upon the valuable farming property of George Griffin in Bain- bridge township, showing that he is a man of enterprise and progressive spirit. He was born in Butler county, Ohio, near Mid- dletown, April 25, 1854, and in 1865, when a youth of about eleven years, came to Ber- rien county with his parents, William and Martha ( Burgess) Griffin. The father was born in Pennsylvania, and the mother in Virginia, and they were married in Ohio. The father was the owner of eighty acres of land, which he secured from the govern- ment in 1854. It lay in Pipestone township and was covered with heavy timber when it came into his possession but he began at once to cut down the trees and clear away the brush and stumps and in the course of time plowed and planted the fields and other- wise improved the property. He lived for six years upon that place but had cleared off several acres at the time of his demise. He left a widow with seven children, the eldest of whom were William H. and George Grif- fin, aged respectively seventeen and fifteen years. They took up the task which was laid

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

down by the father and continued to culti- vate and improve the property, the mother rearing her family there. She still survives and now makes her home with her eldest son, William H. Griffin, in Pipestone town- ship.

George Griffin continued to aid his mother until eighteen years of age, when he left home and began working as a farm hand, being thus employed for two years. He was married, however, at the age of nineteen years, on the 27th of November, 1873, to Miss Elizabeth Glass, who was about the same age. They were neighbors, having known each other for many years. Their first purchase of land comprised but five acres, which Mr. Griffin afterward sold, and in 1876 he bought his present farm in Bainbridge township originally owned by Mr. Burnette. It was covered with grubs and with the original timber and he paid twenty-five dollars for the property. No clearing had been made and the place com- prised thirteen acres, to which he has since added twenty acres, so that he now has a good property of thirty-three acres. All this has been converted into a cultivable tract, al- though at least twelve acres was swamp land when it came into his possession. He drained this, spending about three hundred dollars in tiling and drainage and it is now very valuable. This is a fruit farm of about twenty-five acres, having all been set out to fruit, including grapes, peaches, apples and cherries. He sold five thousand baskets of grapes in one season. He finds that fruit can be grown very satisfactorily and has de- voted thirty years to his farm, making it a valuable property for the production of fruit. He has good building on a natural elevation or building site, and the farm is well equipped for the care of his fruit. He also owns eighty acres of land in the fruit belt in Mason county, and he deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, as he started out in life empty-handed. depending entirely upon his own resources, his success resulting from his frugality, enterprise and diligence and the assistance of his estimable wife.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Griffin have been

born nine children, Dora, Christina, Mary, John, Alma, Emma, Pearl, Willie and Ina, but only the two youngest are now at home. Mr. Griffin votes with the Democracy and fraternally is connected with Bainbridge Lodge, No. 363, I. O. O. F., at Bainbridge Center. He was brought to this county dur- ing his infancy, and has always lived here. Thrust upon his own resources at an early age, he assisted his mother in his youth and established a home of his own when a com- paratively young man. As the years have gone by he has labored diligently and his business career has been crowned with a suc- cess which is gratifying and commendable, showing what may be accomplished by ear- nest, persistent labor.

BURR BARTRAM lives on section 6, Benton township. His home is one of the best located farms of the county, being three miles north of Benton Harbor and less than a mile from Lake Michigan. It is a splen- didly improved property, indicating his careful supervision and practical methods and in its care he is leading a life of industry and frugality, being now well known as a representative fruit-grower of the commun- ity. He was born in Erie county, New York, September 6, 1853, his parents being Henry and Ketura S. (Hogeland) Bartramı. The mother was of German birth, and died when her son Burr was only three years of age. The father was of English lineage and after losing his first wife married Mrs. Free- love (McIntyre) Davis. He met death in 1864, being killed while at work on a bridge which he was building under contract. In 1867 his widow removed to Berrien county, Michigan, with her five young children. A daughter of her former marriage was Han- nah Davis, who had already come to Ber- rien county to teach school. After follow- ing that profession for a time here she mar- ried Joseph Dickinson, who was a son of Robert Dickinson, and a brother of Arthur Dickinson. She had lived in Hagar town- ship at the time of the arrival of her mother in the county. Some six months later Burr Bartram, then a boy. followed his step- mother to this state. She purchased a small

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

place and thereon reared her family. She is still living in Hagar township, spending much of her time with her children.

Burr Bartram attended the public schools and was also a student in Hillsdale College. When nineteen years of age he began teach- ing, with the expectation of later pursuing a college course, and after teaching for a time in Hagar township he attended the Val- paraiso Normal School under Professor Brown, and continued to teach for seven years, mainly in Hagar township and all the time in Berrien county. He was either in school as a student or teacher for a number of years through the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked at farm labor.

On the 28th of April, 1880, Mr. Bartram was united in marriage to Miss Clara E. Eaman, a daughter of James M. and Eliza- beth (Cook) Eaman. Her father, who set- tled in this county in 1868, is still a resident of Hagar township. Mrs. Bartram was born in Dexter, Washtenaw county, Michi- gan, and was a neighbor of Mr. Bartram in her girlhood days. They began their do- mestic life upon a farm. His first purchase made him owner of eight acres, for which he went in debt. His house was a frame struc- ture, which he occupied until 1896, when he erected his present commodious residence. In a short space of time he had cleared his farm of all indebtedness and has added to the property in later years until he has thirty- three acres in one body, all devoted to fruit- raising. His sales run nearly two thous- and dollars annually and sometimes reach twenty-five hundred dollars. He grows purely for commercial purposes, and since 1880 has devoted his attention in undivided manner to his farm. His home is one of the best located, being three miles north of Ben- ton Harbor and less than one mile from Lake Michigan. In his orchards are found fine varieties of trees and usually good crops are gathered each vear.

Mr. Bartram is a Republican but has never aspired to public office or public hon- ors. He belongs to Lake Shore Lodge, A. F. & A. M., at Benton Harbor, and to Cal- vin Brittain Chapter, at St. Joseph.

PORTER E. BRANT, living in Bain- bridge township, was born in Hagar town- ship, Berrien county, on a farm north of the Paw Paw river, March 3, 1843, his par- ents being Daniel and Marietta (Hazzard) Brant. The father was a native of Roch- ester, New York, and the mother of Ellis- burg, that state, but they were married in Benton township, Berrien county, about 1840. The mother had been one of the early teachers of the county, following the pro- fession up to the time of her marriage. Her home was in Pipestone township, and she was a daughter of Crawford Hazzard, a pioneer resident of that township. Daniel Brant when eighteen years of age had driven a yoke of oxen from Rochester to Pokagon township, where his father, Simeon Brant, had already settled. Edward Brant's father, who died enroute from California, was a cousin of Daniel Brant and further men- tion of the family is made on another page of this work. The family is in fact a promi- nent one in Berrien county, having numerous representatives who have been active and in- fluential in business circles and in public af- fairs. Daniel Brant remained a resident of Pokagon township until all of the members of the family removed to Bainbridge town- ship, cutting the road through the forests for miles. Simeon Brant secured a claim constituting the southeast quarter of section 31, while Daniel's place was the southwest quarter of section 32, and Artaxerses Brant took the east half of the southeast quarter of section 31. Nathaniel Brant obtained the northwest quarter of section 32 and thus altogether they secured the four corners. Nearly all this land is still in possession of members of the Brant family, although Nathaniel Brant is the only one of the origi- nal owners now living. Simeon Brant, the father, died at the old homestead at a very advanced age, while Artaxerses Brant died at the age of seventy-five years, and Daniel passed away at the old home when sixty-six years of age. Artaxerses Brant had one son in Mason county and three grandchildren. The children of Jerome Brant are still on the old homestead. Nathaniel Brant resides

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

upon his old home place, which has now been in his possession for many years.

Daniel Brant. father of our subject, placed about one hundred and twenty acres of his homestead under cultivation. He like- wise secured and improved two other tracts of land of eighty and fifty-one acres respec- tively, and he also had two houses in Ben- ton Harbor at the time of his death. He likewise owned one hundred and twenty acres of land in Pipestone township, which he improved, and he gave a farm to each of his children, amounting to over one hun- dred and sixty acres of land. He placed more than two hundred acres of land under cultivation and thus contributed in large measure to the substantial development and reclamation of this part of the state. His wife was a fine business woman and he largely attributed to her influence and assis- tance the success which he has achieved. She died about fifteen years prior to the death of her husband, being about fifty years of age when she passed away. They had traveled life's journey together, however, for many years, for she was but seventeen years of age at the time of their marriage. Her life was devoted to her family and although never very strong or robust she was ambi- tious and energetic and her capable manage- ment of the household affairs and the assis- tance and encouragement which she rendered her husband were valued factors in their prosperity. They became the parents of seven children, of whom Porter E. is the second in order of birth. The others are as follows : Lafayette died on Ship Island, Gulf of Mexico, while in the United States service, having left high school in St. Joseph in order to enlist. He was a member of the Sixth Michigan Infantry and passed away when twenty-two years of age. Francis is living in Pipestone township. Marion re- sides in Bainbridge township on land given him by his father. Henry is a resident of Fountain, Mason county, Michigan. Lu- cretia married John Harmon, and lives in Seattle, Washington. Rosella married Wil- liam Burnett, of Bainbridge, and resides at Spokane, Washington. Having lost his first wife Daniel Brant was married to Miss

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 104

Author: Coolidge, Orville W Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1314

Author: Coolidge, Orville W
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1314